10. Barolo

This full-bodied, red wine is made from Nebbiolo grapes in a small area in Piedmont with a unique soil and climate conditions. It has been produced since the 19th century, and soon after its invention, it became a favorite among the Italian and European nobility.

According to Italian DOCG regulations, Barolo needs to matured for at least 36 months, while those aged for five years carry the prestigious Riserva label. It is a robust, but elegant wine, which is very high in tannins that soften with aging.
Because of its distinctive notes of rose petals, dark fruit, tobacco, mocha, tar, and truffles, it pairs well with various dishes. Serve it with beef or game meat, aromatic tomato and truffle sauces, or aged and blue cheese varieties.

09. Primitivo

Primitivo is an Italian grape variety with quite interesting origins. Research conducted in 1994 proved that the grape is identical to Californian Zinfandel, while it was later discovered that both grapes originated from an old and obscure Croatian grape Crljenak Kaštelanski.

Despite the same lineage, these grapes are influenced by their terroir, and they can slightly differ in character. In Italy, Primitivo is mostly cultivated in Apulia, where it is used in the appellation Primitivo di Manduria. Primitivo is a somewhat rustic wine, dark, intense, and rich in tannins that tend to mellow with age.
Young styles usually display fruity aromas of cherries, plums, and blackberries, as well as floral notes of violets. Aged varieties tend to develop nuances of cocoa, tobacco, and spices. Primitivo is best paired with meat dishes and aged cheese. It can also work well with lamb, vegetable dishes, game, and legumes. 

08. Sangiovese

Sangiovese is a red grape variety indigenous to Italy that is predominantly grown in Tuscany, but also in other central and southern regions, from Romagna down to Lazio, Campania, and Sicily. It is best known as the main grape used in Chianti or Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and as the only grape in the prestigious Brunello di Montalcino.

Though its flavor profile may be influenced by the terroir, Sangiovese based wines are rich in tannins and high in acidity, while their flavor is savory, and may range from rustic to fruity, with typical notes of cherries, dark stone fruit, spices, tobacco, and dry herbs.
Because of its savory character, it goes well with a wide range dishes, including pasta, pizza, grilled meats, poultry, charcuterie and matured cheese varieties.

07. Tempranillo

Tempranillo is a red grape variety whose origin is associated with the Iberian Peninsula. Although it is planted in other countries, Tempranillo is best known as the primary grape used in the classic Rioja blend. The wines produced from Tempranillo are typically full-bodied and rich in tannins with the flavors that range from ripe red and dark berries, leather, and tobacco, while aging in French or American oak helps them attain typical vanilla and spice notes.

In the Rioja wine, Tempranillo is the principal grape, but it is often blended with Garnacha, Graciano, and Mazuelo. The grape is especially popular in Portugal where it is known as Tinta Roriz, and it has also shown success in the United States, South America, and Australia.
Tempranillo-based wines are incredibly food friendly and can match charcuterie, sausages, lamb, pork, and aged cheese. 

06. Ribera del Duero

Ribera del Duero is a Spanish appellation located in several provinces of Castilla and Leon, in north-central Spain. The region is best known for big and bold varietals made with Tempranillo, also known as Tinto Fino or Tinta del Pais.

The blends have to include 75% Tempranillo, while other permitted varieties include Garnacha, white Albillo, and international varieties Malbec, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Ribera del Duero wines are built to age. With time, they develop complexity and become more balanced.

Most of the wines are deeply colored, full-bodied, and well-structured with bright acidity and aromas of ripe fruit, vanilla, and spices. Aging requirements are similar to those in Rioja. Crianza is the youngest, aged for two years and 12 months in oak. Reserva labels are aged at least three years with at least 12 months in oak, and the Gran Reservas have to be aged for five years, including two years of oak aging.
The D. O was established in 1982 when the region had merely nine wineries. Now, there are more than 300. Because of their fruit character and good acidity, Ribera del Duero are food-friendly wines that can agree with different types of food, from sausages, appetizers, and pasta dishes to roast meat (pork, beef, lamb), BBQ dishes, casseroles, game, and aged cheese.

05. Beaujolais

Beaujolais is a light-bodied red wine, with relatively high amounts of acidity. It is made in the historical wine producing region Province of Beaujolais, mostly from thin-skinned Gamay grape, which makes it very low in tannins, and therefore it is often treated like a white wine and served slightly chilled.

Although it rarely needs decanting, after being open for a while, it will gain some aromatic complexity, with a fresh cherry and blackberry fruit nose and spicy, earthy notes in the background. It is classified in three categories: Beaujolais AOC, Beaujolais Villages AOC, and Cru Beaujolais.
According to the body, Beaujolais can be paired with a wide range of dishes. Beaujolais Nouveau, the lightest and mass-produced style of this wine is typically used as an aperitif with salads; the lighter Cru Beaujolais, such as Brouilly, Régnié and Chiroubles, pairs well with poultry, while the heavier and richer, fullest bodied of Cru Beaujolais, like Morgon, Régnié, and Juliénas, pair better with red meats and stews.

04. Syrah

Although Syrah is an internationally known grape that is planted worldwide, it attains distinctive character in northern Rhône—which is often dubbed as Mecca for Syrah. There are several theories about the origin of the grape, but it has been widely accepted that Syrah is native to France and that it probably originated somewhere in the Rhône valley.

Syrah-based wines from northern Rhône often differ in style, but they are powerful, full-bodied reds that can age exceptionally well. They usually display aromas of dark fruit that evolve into peppery, earthy, and herbaceous nuances. Northern Rhône is also home to the premier Syrah-based appellations such as Côte Rôtie, Hermitage, Saint-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, and Cornas.
In the southern Rhône, Syrah is mostly used as an addition to the dominant Grenache. Syrah-based wines generally pair well with grilled or braised meat, stews, and game. Traditionally, French appellations do not include the name of the grape on the label.

03. Rioja

Rioja was the first Spanish appellation that received protected status. This renowned Spanish region is located in the north of the country, on both sides of the river Ebro. It is best known for its red varietals and blends, and while Tempranillo is the dominant grape, blending varieties include Garnacha, Graciano, Mazuelo, and Maturana varieties.

Some amount of rosés and whites are also produced. The region is vast, and it is divided into three subregions: Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa, and Rioja Oriental. Aging guidelines categorize it under the generic label with no aging requirements (also known as Joven), Crianza (aged for two years), Reserva (at least three years of age), and Gran Reserva (five years of age and a minimum of two years in a barrel).

The entire area is impacted by two different climates—Atlantic and Mediterranean—but specific microclimates and different types of soil, together with different winemaking techniques and maturation, generate various styles and greatly influence the final character of Rioja wines.

They can range from light, fruity, and approachable styles to more complex expressions that often showcase rich notes of dark fruit and spices. Most styles will have firm tannins that are balanced with bright acidity. Pairing suggestions mostly depend on the style and the age, but most examples work well with pork, lamb, and spicy dishes.
Aged varieties may also be a good match with game. The new classification system that allows the use of village and municipality on the label tends to encourage producers not to rely exclusively on oak-aging as the sign of quality. 

02. Burgundy

Bourgogne or Burgundy is a wine region in France which produces some of the most prized wines in the world. Located in east-central part of France, the region is dominated by Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, though some other red and white grapes such as Aligoté, Pinot Gris, or Gamay are also used, but on a much lower scale.

Burgundy boasts with more than 100 approved wine growing areas that are regulated by a complex classification system, which according to quality divides the region into grand cru, premier cru, village wines, and regional appellations.

The wines are greatly influenced by age as well as terroir, and they show great diversity in flavors and aromas. Most Burgundy reds display complex and layered aromas of fresh fruit, spices, as well as earthy notes of leather, truffle, or mushrooms, while matured varieties tend to develop more juicy expressions of cooked fruit or jam.
White wines are characterized by floral, fruity, and buttery aromas which are often complemented by citrus or honey notes. Because of their diversity, both white and red Burgundy wines can match a wide variety of dishes, including appetizers, charcuterie, meat or fish based main courses, as well as desserts and regional cheese.

01. Bordeaux

Bordeaux region is the largest wine growing area in France that comprises of more than fifty different appellations. Bordeaux wines can range from massively produced everyday table wines to prestigious and expensive vintages. The predominant style is red, but the region also produces sweet and dry whites, rosés and sparkling wines.

Red Bordeaux wines are mostly produced from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Merlot, Malbec, or occasionally Carménère. They are soft, elegant and silky, with aromas of dark fruit, truffles, spices, smoke, tar, and leather.

Because they are typically medium to full-bodied, they perfectly pair with patés and terrines, grilled meat, roast beef, game pies, and goat and sheep cheese. Older vintages of the wine pair well with dishes that include mushrooms, truffles, hard cheese, or game.
White Bordeaux styles are mostly produced from Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle. They are predominantly light, with floral, fruit, and citrus aromas, and pair well with seafood, vegetables, pasta, and risottos.

Source: TasteAtlas.com